Spinal fusion surgery is commonly performed to treat degenerative spinal disease. Such procedures have also become necessary among children, the pediatric population, as well as patients who have been injured, the trauma population. In addition, spinal fusion surgery may be indicated for patients with spinal instability and patients with congenital defects. Spinal fusion surgery is commonly performed to treat degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, stenosis, spinal column collapse or instability, spinal trauma or compression fractures, scoliosis and kyphosis and spondylolysis. The incidence of spinal surgery is on the rise in the United States and elsewhere, as indicated by the tremendous increases in the number of procedures for lumbar fusion surgery, among others.
In addition to spinal surgery, other orthopedic procedures have also been on the increase, such as hip and knee procedures. In addition to the increased incidence and prevalence of orthopedic disease in the United States, these maladies have found increases world-wide, as populations live longer and become more demanding of medical treatment. As a result, increased attention has been focused on the effectiveness of these procedures. Improvement is needed both in fusion-type procedures as well as non-fusion type procedures, such as disc replacement.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.